Tian Fengshan, former minister of land and resources, was expelled from the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) Central Committee and deprived of Party membership on corruption charges, according to a decision made at the Fourth Plenum of the CPC Central Committee, which concluded Sunday.

In a report on an investigation into Tian's case, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection said that Tian abused power and took bribes worth 5.03 million yuan (US$608,465) by misusing his power.

In October 2003, China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, passed a decision to remove Tian Fengshan from the post of the minister of land and resources.

Tian had served as secretary of the Mudanjiang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Heilongjiang Province, vice-governor of Heilongjiang, secretary of the CPC Harbin City Committee in Heilongjiang, deputy secretary of CPC Heilongjiang Provincial Committee, and governor of Heilongjiang Province before he was appointed minister of land and resources in March 2000.

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2004)